——creativity never goes out of style——

Apple Lentil Sloppy Joes

Fall is right around the corner…. seven days to be exact. So my summer recipe ideas are slowly converting to heavier meals that resonate with comfort food and not bikinis. I try to eat at least three vegetarian meals a week but over the past few months I have tried more and more vegan recipes. I like to challenge my taste buds a little and also switch up traditional recipes. It expands my knowledge of flavor profiles and also stocks up my pantry with different ingredients that I wouldn’t otherwise use.

This recipe quickly became one of my favorites now. It is such a good alternative to a greasy sloppy joe but the flavor is amazing. Yes I’ll agree…. sometimes these ‘vegetarian’ or ‘vegan’ alternatives are NOTHING like the recipe it is altered after. You can’t call a noodle free, meat free, cheese free dish lasagna…. come on. However this recipe is a perfectly sloppy dish in the best way. I don’t care what this resembles…. it’s amazing. That’s all the convincing I need to add it into my meal plan!

Add in green lentils, red wine, water, marinara sauce, ketchup, sugar, dijon, sriracha and spices. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add in the red lentils and add in a bit more water (or broth of your choice) if needed.

Simmer on low heat for 25 minutes or until lentils are tender, adding more liquid if mixture becomes too thick. Season with salt and pepper and taste to adjust seasoning. Serve open-face over toasted buns.“If you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it” ~Common sense